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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. band — a music group
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. band — a ring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com